Adjustable track-gage.



W. H. DAVIS.

ADJUSTABLE TRACK GAGE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1914.

1,153,769. PatentedSept. 14, 1915.

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21 7265565. fiwmlm COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

W. H. DAVIS.

ADJUSTABLE TRACK GAGE- APPUCATIONIFILED JUNE 29, 1914.

1 ,153,769. Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

r 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iii sa'r WINFIELD H. DAVIS, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY ADJUSTABLE TRACK-GAGE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVINFIELD H. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rutherford, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable Track-Gage, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to. improvements in gages, and has for an object to provide an improved construction which may be used upon a track at any point.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved track gage which is formed with an adjustable part for allowing the gage to be shortened or lengthened as occasion may demand, this construction being such as to present an adjustable feature without weakening the general structure of the gage.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable construction for a track gage which cannot be readily broken, and which may be easily and quickly adjusted for allowing the sliding members forming part thereof to be so placed as to produce a lengthening or shortening of the a e. r y g l n carrying out the objects, of the invention a cross bar of any usual construction is rough usage. This specially constructed end is provided with a plurality of sliding plates when when in one position will lengthen the gage and when in another will shorten the same. A suitable retaining bolt is provided for always holding these plates correctly in position whether adjusted to occupy one position or another.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal section through one end of a track gage, the same disclosing an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the structure shown in F ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view through Fig. 2 approximately on line 33; Fig. 1 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but with the adjusting plates in an elevated position; Fig. 5 is a side view of an entire gage, the same embodying theinvention.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Se t. 14 1915 Application filed June 29, 1914.

Serial No. 847,888.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a cross bar which may be of any shape and size but preferably is tubular as shown inFigs. 1 and 2. The cross bar 1 is provided with an end member or head 2 which is formed with a measuring face 3 and a supporting face 4, face 4 resting on top of the rail while face 3 engages the edge of the ball of the rail. Arranged on the opposite end of bar 1 to head 2 is a specially constructed head 5, which head is, formed so as to resist more or less rough usage while allowing an adjustment at any time so as to adapt the gage to all conditions presented in the construction of a railroad. The head 5 is provided with a sleeve 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) designed to fit over the end of bar 1. However, in order to prevent the short circuiting of the block signals of the track an insulating sleeve 7 is provided through which a clamping and retaining rivet 9 passes. All of these parts are adapted to fit perfectly tight so that there will be no movement of the head independent of bar 1. The head 5 is preferably a casting of some good material, and is provided with.

wall 10'is reinforced throughout. Parallel with the transverse wall 10 is a second transverse wall 12 which extends downwardly to a supporting face 13 as shown in Fig. 2.

A suitablespace or chamber 14 is provided between walls 10 and 12, which chamber is bound on each side by the walls 15 and 16. It is to be noted that the walls 15 and 16 are of the same length as the wall 12 and merge into walls 10 and 12, whereby a strong stiff structure is presented in which chamber 1 0 is formed, said chamber being designed to receive a plurality of plates as hereinafter fully described. The lower part of wall 12 merges into a sleeve 17 which ment 26 on pin 22. The enlargement 26 may be formed integral with pin 22 or may be secured thereto in any desired way. It is to be noted that the spring 25 normally holds the pin 22 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. v,

' Arranged in the chamber 14 are a plurality of specially constructed plates 27 which plates are preferably of the same thickness. The various plates 27 are uniform-in shape-as shown in "Figs. 3 and i and loosely fit in the chamber 14. The plates when elevated are supported by pin '22 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, but when lowered as shown in Fig. 3 theplates are supported by pins 28*and 29, which pins engage shoulders '30 "and 31. Each of the plates is formed with a cut-out portion 32, and also a cut-out portion 33, whereby shoulders 30 and 31 are forn1e'd, and also shoulders 34 and35 are formed, said-shoulders 3% and 35 limiting the movement of the plates when the gage isitu'r'nedover and the pin '22 is moved out of engagement with the plates. When the pin '22 is moved against spring 25 outof engagement with all of the plates and the gage'turned over the various plates will drop by gravity to substantially the position shown-in Fig. 4, and will rest on the pins 2'8 'a'nd 29. l heipins 28' and 29inay 'be inserted-in any desired way, as for instance, by inserting 'th'e's'amethrough the sleeve. This would. of course, necessitate using pins having heads onlyat one endand then upsettingorrivetingthe 'opposite end by "any desired-'form"of-tool. When "the gage is reversed o'r inoved-rig'htside'up the weight of 3 the plates will besupp'orted by pin 22, the

' s'ain'e being allowed to pass through theape'rturesi3'6'ofxthe various plates 27. It will be noted that the "various plates are also provided wit'h apertures 37 which [accommodate the pin 22 when the plates are in a lowered-po ition as shown in Fig. 3. From Fig. 2 it will be observedthat the wall 10 is cutaway for "forming a chamber 38 into which the rounded "end of pin 22 extends while the enlargement-'26 is pressingagainst thepIates. The a'ction of the enlargement or'stop 26 is such as to cause all of the plates t'o be pressed tightly together. It will also be 'noted that the chamber 14 is formed sli=ghtly 1argerthan 'all ofthe plates so as to allow a freeaction ofthe plates. *l/Vhen one oi-more of the plates a're lowered, as shownin Figs. 2 and-'3,*t-h'esame"are stacked on what'may be termed the measuring face 55, which measuring face is "designed to be spacedfrom themeasuringfa'ce 3 the exact distance between'the insides of balls of rails on a-'straight-tr-ack. When it is desired to use"the' 'gage *on' a curve. one or more of the plates 27 are moved tothe'position shown in Ei'gs. .Z and 3. v *If'the curve isa comparati-vely #iong curve on'ly'cne plate 'is used. 121i? a shorter curve two plates are used and so on for the fulllimit of plates as extra width is necessary for s'horter'curves. This is to prevent a binding action between the drivers of the engine, and the rails, which binding action would either spread the rails or derail the engine. By using theplates as described the measuring face 5 is lengthened or moved away from the measuring face 3, and such measurement is eXact'as 'the plates 27 are designed to be of a certain thickness. The engineer in directing the placing of a curve-canmention that one "or more plates-are to be "used on the; curve "so that the-men doing "the workiwill know ex actly how Wide the track is to "beat the curve.

WVhat I claim is V 1. In a i'gage 'of'i the character described, a head provided with an 'eXterrsiem haVing: a contact surface and means defininga chamber, a centrally arranged movable -pin arranged to projectacross'said'chamber, and

a plurality of sliding Eiplat'es arranged in said chamber and' g'uid'ed in their movement by the walls of said chamben-each o fsaid sliding plates :being provided with ;:a iipair of apertures for accommodating atidi'iferent times said pin, whereby anysorsaid plates may be hel'd'in an'elevated or in a lowered position at will ferilengthening and shortening th'e head as de'si'red.

2. In a "trackg aig'e of the character described-anintegrallyconstructed head there a plurality ofi'dentically coastr ctedslida Y ble plates arranged-in said casing and adapted to be moved to *a positien iii-front cfsai'd face and from *a position in if fit 15f said face, each of said plates being fonmed=- with a pair of spaced-a ertares-and also with a notchedput portion on-each edg aespring pressed pin earned bye-aid casingadapted to be inserted into' either fs'aid apertures for lo'ckizng'said plates in' n operative-or by said casing engaging'the plates at the respectiveends cf said notehed-out portions for supporting 'thep la'tes inde endent ef said-pin when'fin' '-operative* positioh.

4. In trackgage of -the eharacter de scribed, a head connected with the body of the gage, said head being formed from a single casting and provided with a chamber merging into a measuring. face, and a horizontal supporting face, a plurality of slidable plates arranged in said chamber and adapted to slide to a position in front of said measuring face, and means for holding said plates either in said chamber or against said measuring face.

5. In a track gage of the character described, a head connected to the body of the gage and formed with a measuring face and with a supporting face, a plurality of slidable plates arranged in said head and adapted to slide to a position in front of said measuring face and from said position, a sliding pin for locking said plates in either of their positions, stationary supporting pins arranged on each side of said first mentioned pin, each of said sliding plates being formed with an elongated notch on each edge, whereby upper and lower shoulders are provided on each edge ofeach plate, said shoulders being designed to rest against said supporting pins according to the position of the plates, each of said plates being provided with an aperture substantially in line with each pair of shoulders, said last mentioned apertures being adapted to accommodate said first mentioned pin so as to lock the plates opposite said measuring face or away from said measuring face at will.

6. In a track gage of the character described, a head connected with the body of the gage, said head being formed with a casing having reinforcing webs for resisting rough usage, a plurality of slidable plates arranged in said head, each of said plates being formed with a pair of apertures and with pairs of shoulders, a reciprocating pin designed to project through one of the apertures in the respective plates for locking the plates in an elevated position and through the other aperture for locking the plates in a lowered position, and a pair of supporting pins arranged to engage said shoulders at different times, one set of shoulders engaging the pins when the gage is inverted and the other set of shoulders engaging said pins when the gage is in correct position and the plates move to an operative position.

7. A track gage comprising a body and a head at each end, one of said heads being provided with a depending face and a horizontally extending section having a contact surface, said depending face being braced by a web and said extension being provided with a bracing member, said head adjacent said extension being provided with a chamber and said head being formed of one integral piece, and a plurality of plates or aliners normally arranged in said chamber, said plates or aliners being capable of sufficient movement to allow part of the respective plates to be moved to a position in front of said depending face.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WINFIELD H. DAVIS.

Witnesses:

A. L. KI'roHIN, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

